Downtown Newark Restaurant Week starts…now!

Like most college towns, there is plenty of cheap grab-and-go grub available on Newark’s Main Street, whether it’s pizza and wings or calzones and cheeseburgers.

Until recently, there was even a shop devoted just to selling bowls of cold cereal morning, noon and night.

But this week, while the University of Delaware campus is relatively sleepy during Winter Session, it’s time for Newark’s full-service restaurants to shine as the sixth annual Downtown Newark Restaurant Week kicks off.

For some, it’s a chance to show off menu standards – items that keep their regular customers coming back. For others, like Home Grown Cafe, it’s an opportunity to experiment a bit and try something new that reflects the restaurant’s personality.

Among the dishes being served up this week by Home Grown co-owner Eric Aber: a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA cheese soup, a baguette paired with shredded barbecue beef and whiskey cake balls for dessert.

“We use it to step outside the box, and none of this is available on the regular menu,” said Aber, who has owned the restaurant for more than 12 years and has participated in all of Newark’s restaurant week events. “This week is always busy during an otherwise slow and cold time of year. We always work hard during restaurant week. No one is standing still.”
The pricing is another draw. Two-course lunches are $10, two-course dinners are $19 and three-course dinners are $25. Compare those prices to Wilmington’s annual City Restaurant Week in March – with $15 two-course lunches and $35 three-course dinners – and diners quickly spot a deal.

“We’re friendly on the wallet, I’d say,” said Dana Johnston, Newark’s community affairs officer and organizer of Downtown Newark Restaurant Week as part of the Downtown Newark Partnership.

Even some of those student-friendly quick food spots like Claymont Steak Shop, Grotto Pizza and Buffalo Wild Wings are getting in on the action with $19 “friend and family meals” that feed up to four. (Go to here for the special menus for each of the 19 restaurants.)

Several of those locations will also be rolling out some of their favorite musical acts to coincide with the week of discounted food. Among the shows slated for this week: Scott Birney and Steve Hobson of the Sin City Band will be at Mojo Main tonight, Home Grown has Hot Toddy and the Wilmington Wastoids on Wednesday and 61 North on Friday and the Deer Park Tavern has Three Legged Fox on Saturday night.

With most, if not all, restaurants validating parking for those who park in municipal lots and restaurateurs putting out their best products and service, the idea behind restaurant week is to hook in some new customers and keep them – all while giving regulars something new at a lower price.

“We’re carving our niche as a dining destination mainly because we can appeal to all sorts of diners, whether it’s fine dining or just grabbing a quick bite to eat,” Johnston said. “Plus, everything is within walking distance. The two farthest restaurants are separated by two miles, so that’s pretty unique.”

For Mojo Main – the high-profile music venue that hosts local bands and DJ dance parties as well as national acts like Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – this week is its first real opportunity to show off its kitchen. After all, during last year’s restaurant week, the spot had been open only for a few months and was still feeling out its space.

Even though the place touts half-price burger and tater tot nights, it has a rare menu for Main Street – one dominated by Cajun food.

Co-owner Jeff McKay imported many delicacies from his previous spot, Claymont’s Bourbon Street Grill. And many of them have landed on the special restaurant week menu, including spicy chicken gumbo, Cajun pierogies, jambalaya and blackened chicken pasta. (Sure, the desserts – like deep-fried Twinkies and Oreos – aren’t Cajun, but there shouldn’t be many complaints about the gooey, sugary treats.)

IF YOU GOWhat:Downtown Newark Restaurant WeekWhen: Today through SundayWhere: Nineteen participating downtown restaurantsCost: Two-course lunch ($10), two-course dinner ($19), three-course dinner ($25) and “friend and family meals” that feed a group of four ($19)

About Ryan Cormier

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